Process and apparatus for the standardized finishing of interchangeable artificial teeth



Mar'ch 26, 1929.

A. s. LEVY 1,706,980 PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE STANDARDIZEDFINISHING 0F INTERCHANGEABLE ARTIFICIAL TEETH Flled y 29. 1925 2Sheets-Sheet 1 March 26, 1929. s, LEVY 1,706,980

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE STANDARDIZED FINISHING OF INTERCHANGEABLEARTIFICIAL TEETH Filed y 29, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 26,1929.

UNITED STATES PAT 1,706,980 ENT' OFFICE.

ARTHUR s. LEVY, or CHICAGO, ILLTNOIS.

ABLE ARTIFICIAL TEETH.

Application filed. July 29, 1925. Serial No. 46,884.

My present invention relates to the manufacture of artificial teeth andmore particularly to the production of standardized interchangeablefacingsn i The standardization of interchangeable facings is difficultto accomplish because there is marked variation in the structureof thebaked facing-s due to various shrinkage in the molds and to wear of themolds and as the facings are quite small and must be finished to extremeaccuracy, it is at once apparent that exact standardization is quitedifficult to attain.

rareful experimentation with various processcs and mechanism forproducing a standardized interchangeable facing, l have dis covered thatthe most satisfactory was based on the selection of the surface of thepin hole adjacent to a cusp seat as the critical point from which tobase all adjustment and filr ished treatment of the facing. To this endmy process contemplates mounting the facing upon a pin in a mountingdevice, applying pressure on a cusp seat to set it parallel with apredetermined plane and holdtho pin pressed against the adjacent surfaceof the pin hole, and, with the facing thus held,

it is presented in predetermined position to a portable holder or jigwith which. it moves from one to another of the finishing machines untilcompleted. It will thus be seen that the facing being mountedin'predetermined position on the holder and such position being alwaysfixed with reference to the upper surface of its pin hole, it followsthat all of the finished facingswill be ex actly standardized withrelation to this surface of the pin hole, and it follows that allfacings so manufactured can be readily in tor-changed because thedistance between the cusp face w rich will receive the slotted cusp seatand the adjacent edge of the mounting pin will always be the same. i

More particularly, my invention is concorned with the designing of afixture which is :ulaptcd to mount in portable holders artificial rootfacings of the type forming the subject matter of my pendingapplication, bwrial. l lo, 584,729, wherein is shown an into 'alhomogeneous porcelain facing having a root extension and angled backingseats in at least one of which is provided an undercut keyhole slot forthe reception of the mounting pin.

in an artificial tooth of this character it After many years of y theutilization of my improved mounting device the holders can be mountedsuccessively in the several finishing machines and the tooth ground andfinished to an exact standard which is of greatest importance inconnection with the interchangeability of the tooth, it being obviousthat unless the cusp seats of the finished tooth,- which is to replaceanother, have the identical spacing from the backing pin that thecorresponding seats had in the tooth that has been removed,

such replacement tooth could not be mounted correctlyin the mouth. a V

More particularly my invention contemplates the utilization of a baseadapted to re ceive the holders one at a time and a frame having a pincorresponding to the mounting pin for the tooth and disposed parallelwith assembling guide surfaces in the base so that the fame with thetooth mounted thereon will slide into the frame in the" direction of theaxisof the mounting pin. In addition to thisthe frame carriesconveniently operable means engaging a cusp seat of a tooth mounted onthe pin so as to force the upper wall of the slot against the pin and todisposethe slotted cusp seat always in or parallel with the same plane.

My invention also comprises the novel details of construction in theportable tooth holder itself and in the manner of mounting same inthebase and in the detail structure of the tooth carrying frame and themeans for guiding the same into exact assembled a 9: relation w1th thebase to mount the tooth 1n Fig. Qis :a hopplan View of the assembleddevice shown in 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the base 5 and Fig. 4 is a bottom iew ofthetooth -carrying frame.

aisaview partly in-cnoss section of one of the portable holders showingthe tooth in cross section in its relation to the co-acting elements onthe carrier which, by engaging the tooth, set it always into an exactstandardized position inthe holder.

Fig. 6 is a planiview of a holder with a tooth mounted therein and thewax or other gniounting mbstance cutaway so as to expose the-cusp seatsof thetoeth to be ground.

- lar parts throughout the drawings.

der 3' to the end of the base.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6, I show amechanism for carrying my process into effect, comprising a mountingdevice having a suitable base- 1 with a pair of spaced raised shoulders'2 at one end-and a spaced trans verse shoulder 3 on the other end, andI drill-or otherwim form in this base four holes 5, 6, 7 and 8-,all ofwhich aremade parallel, the holes and (5 being formed in p the offsetshoulder 1-0 provided at the base ofa. bevelled faceleading from theshoulp The sloping surfaces 9' terminate in vertical shoulders 11parallel with. the opposed face of. the transverse shoulder 3 and spacedtherefrom to form a flat seat 13; havingbc'velled side surfaceslfi. Inthe center of the seat I drill 1 counte-rboredsocket 14 adapted toreceive freely the'shank 15 of theportable tooth holders or jigs 16.Each tooth holder is provided with parallel vertical faces adaptedto fitsnugly between the shoulders 3 and 11 and it preferably has the axis ofits shank 15 slightly closer to the shoulder 3 than to the shoulder 11'so that it can only be mounted in one way in the base. Between theshoulders 2 I mount a. vertically disposed spring 17 which snaps overthe adjacent side of a holder 16 and presses it against the'shoulder 8..The holder has a top recess 18 adapted to receive wax. alasvter or anyequivalent'material 19 in w iich artificial tooth'20 can be mounted andset inthe hol'de1,'.- 1

That part of the device which I term the carrier, since it is utilizedto present the teeth to the plastic material in the holders and mountthem therein, comprises a bacl: plate 21 having mounted thereon, betweenundercut side guides 22 and 23, a longitudinally adjustable slide bar 2having its side edges bevelled. The bar at one end has socnred thereto ascrew 25 having a jznnb nut 26 which engages a shoulder 27 provided withan aperture through which the screw projects. A jamb nut 28 is appliedon the screw on the opposite side of the shouldcr 27 and the nuts permitthe blocl; to be adjusted accurately to the dcsircd position in thecarrier. The shoulder 27 integral with a plate 29 attached to the top ofthe back plate 21 and projecting far enough lwyond same to protect theoutcr end of thc screw 25. I mount rigidly on the slide block 24; a.post 30 having concentric therewith a pin 31 which is adapted to enterthc pin hole 32 which is molded in the tooth 20 with its axis parallelwith the cusp seat 31. Usually this hole connects with a slot 33 cutthrough the seat 34.

I hingedly mount a springncsscd clamp 36, by means of a pin 35 on theslide 3-1, the clamp having one end 37 serving as :1 lumdle and theother end terminating in the finger 38 (see Fig. which has a bcvcllcdface 39 ternnnuting in a straight cdgc 10 disposed transversely of thecarriage and parallel with the plate 21 and adapted to engagc, with atransverse line contact the intermediate transverse portion of the cuspseat 34 of the artificial tooth 2U whcn mount ed on the pin 31. Thisedge 4-0 A ands at right angles to the axis of the pin 31 and will standsubstantially midway bclwccn the shoulders formcd on this pin by cuttingaway its intermediate portion at 251". scc Fig. 10. This provides athree point cor. tact between pin and clamp and thc tooth. Thisarrznigcmcnt will best tukc can of any possible irregularities in thebaking ol the tooth and it causes the clamp to sci the tooth with'thepin 31 in contact with the uppcr portion of the pin hole 32 and thcloolll hcld against opcning about the pin. l providc the frame with fourmounting posts 41 and 42 having rcduccd ends 4;) aduptcd to b;- i'orccdrespectively in the ase holcs 5 and (5. The frame at its other cnd hasposts H and l5 whose rcduccd ends ll? are udupicd to be rcceivcdrespectively in the holes 7 and S of the base. The reduced ends 34- arelougc: than the pin 31 and thc base has its bcvcllcd face 10 cut away atel-G to clear the ."t'l'UW 25 of the frame when the parts are asscmblcd.The clamp 3'? is controlled by a coil spr ng: 47 interposed between itshandle portion :37 and the back plate 21 of the frame.

Inthe operation of my process with the device as thus far described, thefrumc is dctached from the base, the clamp is prcsscd away from the pin31 and an artificial tooth loo ish the tooth.

igi'oons the upper wall. of the pin hole 32 and the tooth will he heldin position against rel-hing about the pin. line oil the holders 16 isthen provided with su lilo pl material in its rec v 0 o and is mountedbctween the shoulners ll. and on the base and held in place by thespring; 1.7. The frame is then inverted and its pins are caused to enterthe holes 5, 6, 7 and S in the base, in doing; which the artificia toothis caused to be pressed down into the plastic material in the holder,asshown in Fig. 5, and is thus set in the correct standardized positionin the holder and remains there until the plastic material hardenssullicient-ly to it, attcr which the clamp is released and the frameslipped away from the base, leaving the tooth embedded in the plasticmaterial in the holder as in a ln this manner the teeth are accuratelyand quickly set in the holdersand utter the surplus plastic material hasbeen removed to expose fully the tooths cusp seats, the holders can helZl'U]. -3 terred to the various ii. ishing machines, all of which willworlrwith perfect standardiination to grind the cusp seats and d8 andfinln the modification of my carrier frame shown in Figs 7 to 9, thehack plate 21 is provided opposite the slide bar 24% with a raisedshoulder l9 having a hole hored therethrough with its axis parallel withthe ad jacent lace of the plate 21 and adapted to receive a slide pinhaving a linger portion 51. with a straight edge d0, as shown in Fin. 5.A spring; acting to press this pin towards the center of the toothmounting pin 31, iated against a bracket attached to the outer end ottheshoulder at!) which undercut to provide a slot in which a hell cranklever is pivot-ally mounted with its upper end working lil11()1i3fl] aslot 55 and engaging the pin 50 and its lower end pro vided with anelongated slot 56 which receives a ansvorse adjustable wedge 57. This weshown more clearly in Fig. 9, is carried hy a laterally movable sprin;pressed pin havingat its outer end a linger grip it between which andthe plate interposed a spring (50. grip liar-er 59 provided. The pin 58is longitudinally slotted and is held in position by a pin 61. workingthrough the slot. By thisarranr jement the grasping oi' the frame willforce the wedge inwardly.

To simplify the adjustment means for the slidablc bar 24- I show in Fig.11 a modified arrangement wherein the slide bar is provided with adiagonal bore 62 opening A lined opposed through its sidcsand disposedto provide parallel wedge tacos (56 and (57. Through the side guides 22and 23 I insert screw pins 653 having their inner ends (ll tapered andadapted to engage the wedge faces (36 and (37 respectively of the boreG2. in this wayhy turning, the screws rovcrsely the slide can be movedin either direction desired with an extremely delicate adjustment andlocked securely in place.

The process permits quick and accurate mounting of the teeth in theholders in such manner that they can he finished rapidly by a. scri ofoperations which are all free of any individual adjustments for eachtooth.

Though I have described with great particularly the details of theembodiment of the invention herein shown, it is not to he construed thatI am limited thereto, as changes in arrangement and substitution orequivalents may he made by those skilled in the art without departing;from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

that is adjacent to the cusp seat against the pin, holding the facing onthe pin with cusp seat parallel with a given plane, set

ting the facing so positioned in a standard ize d transl'orcarrier,removing the t with the carrier to a standzu'i'linod mounting on. agrinding machine, and grii'iding the cusp seat parallel with said planeto leave a predetermined standard thickness between. the linishod seatand said wall of the pin hole. a l

2. An improvement in the art of standardizing interclningcahle tacingshaving; a pin securing hole with its axis parallel with a cusp seat,which consists in mounting said facing on a pin in said hole, forcing);the wall of the pin hole that is adjacent to the cusp seat against thepin, holding the facing: on the pin with its cusp scat parallel with. agiven plane, mounting: the facing so held in prcdetermined position n astandard holder by plastic means, and transporting said holdertln'ougcrh facing finishing machines having their working elements setin predctcrmined relationship to the holder as it yn'esented thereto.

3. In a nwunting teeth, a base, means pro aerniined posit-ion, a toothholder containing plastic material, and means to present a tooth inpredetermined relation to said holder and mount it in the plasticmaterial thereoflsaid latter means comprisfixture for artificial Havingthus described my invention, what to mount therein, in i ing a pinadapted to outer the pin hole in the tooth, and co-act'mg means to pressthe position, means comprising a to enter the pin hole in thetooth, aucmeans engaging; the tooth to hold it in predetermined positionv bycausing said pin to press against tie Wall of the pin hole adjacent tothe-cusp seat. 7

5.111 a mounting fixture for artificial teeth, a base, a demountabletooth holder containing plastic material adapted to receive and hold atooth When pressed 'there into, means for i'iouiitiiig the tooth holderin the hasein a predetermined standardized pm and presser means adaptedto eoact with the tooth to hold it in 1 stand: rdized position in saidmounting device, and means to guide the device into a predeterminedrelation to the holder in the base for pressing the tooth into theplastic material.

rigid pin adapted to enter said hole in saiL base in which it )USQEE'CSthe tooth to said 6. The con'ibiziation with a base having a seatadapted to receive a removable tooth holder, of a tooth holder ravingplastic material adapt r to receive and hold a tooth when, pressedthereirito which has a slotted "cusp seat with a pin hole at the bottomof the slot, a tooth mounting device havirig' tooth, releasable means tohold said tooth with its cusp seat in apredetermined stand ardizedposition relative thereto on said pin, and means to. guide the deviceinto a predetermined relation o a holder in said plastic: material.

7. In a device for mounting artificial teeth havins rpiu holes and cuspseats in holders, a pin adapted to enter the pin hole in the tooth to'bemounted, a clamp adapted to engage the tooths cusp seat and force itagainst the pin, a support for the pin and clamp, audmeaus to guide saidsupport to present the tooth to a receiving holder.

8. In a device lit r mounting artificial teethharihg pin holes aud'cuspseats in holders, a shouldered pin acapted to enter the pin hole in thetooth to be mounted, a clamp zulapted to' engragjc the toothscusp seat.between the shoulders f the pin and force it a 'ainstthe in. a su )ortfor the pin and clamp, and means to guide said support to presentthetooth to a receiving holder.

9. In a device for mounting arlilicial lcclh a pm adapter, to enter thepin hole in the tooth to be mounted, a :lamp having a straight edgeadapted to engage the tooths cusp seat on both sides ot said pin andforce against the pin, a support for the pin 7 1 and m to guide saidsupport present the tooth to a rcccivirv;

iolder.

10.111 :1 (lo/ice for mounting artificial ii in holecrs, a ha 3 having ascat for e holders, a rounded shank on the holder, a rounded socket onhe base to receive the shank, a shouider on the base, a complefueutarshoulder on the holder, spring means on the bi adapted to press saidshoulders into engagement, a tooth czu'ricr having means to mount. atooih in prcdctermined position thercou which comprise a pin adapted toenter a pin hole in the toolh, means parallel with said pin to guidesaid arrier into predetermined relation to the bare, and plastic materal in the holdcr pted to receive the tooth from the car- 11. in a toothincluding device, a carricr rarie adapted to prcscl'lt tooth inprcdcermired position to the mounting devicc, 'd carrier comprising anadjustable slidc, ides for said slide disposcd parallel with s of thepin hole in a Jooi'h mounted ride. mounting (iCAiCU in :urcordauce withclaim ii, in which the rel asalilc mounting clemeets 'omprisiug a pin,and a springprcsscd clamp mo vablc towards the pin into to'hold thetooth in prcdcicrmiucd position on the pin.

13. A. device for mounting uriiiicial tcclh iiiholdcrs, comprising abase haviu; a holdcl' receptacle and spring means in clasp lhc holder inprcdciermiucd posiiiou lhcrciu, iixed holes in said lmse, a toolhcarrier comprisiugr a frame haviugr lixcd pius adzlplcd to enter saidholes in the base, a pin adapted to enter the hole in an arliiicialtooth, and a rclaisable clamp adaplcd to hold the tooth on said latterpin.

14-. The art of grinding: art-ilicial tccth having a cusp scar and a pinhoic. which consists in soiling the tooth tor j riudinr Irv rctcreuce to{he all ol' ihc pin hole adjaccut to the cus; scat h lding the iooll insaid i rid iudizur the cusp r-cat to produce a siarumidizcd lllhlflllrLrof material between d all of the pin ho]? and the My whereof I allix mysignature.

ARTHUR LEVY.

lilll llL') Ill)

